Stapling machine



*Fell 18, 1941. L B, COOK TAL 2,232,051

STAPLING MACHINE Fired May 25, i940 2 sheets-sheet. 1

Feb. 18, 1941. 1 B. cooK ETAL l 2,232,051

STAPLING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 18V, 1941 PATENT OFFICE STAPLIN G MACHINE Lyman B. Cook, Riverton, and Henry J. Gerke, Jr., West Collingswood, N. J., assignors to Acme Staple C'ompany, Camden, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 25, 1940, Serial No. 337,234

7 Claims.

This invention Arelates to improvements in stapling machines of the general class wherein the work to be stapled is placed between two normally separated work-engaging parts one of which is carried by the stationary frame of the machine and `one of which is carried by a member which is movably mounted on the frame and operable to move one of said parts toward the other; and wherein the staple guide and staple lo driver is associated with or carried by one of said parts, and the staple clinching anvil is associated with -or carried by the other of said parts. During the operation of the several types of machines of this general class, the said member is l5 rst operated to move its work-engaging part toward the work-engaging part of the frame, and, thereafter, the staple driver is operated to drive the staple through the work and against the clinching anvil to clinch the staple legs.

The object of the present invention is to provide machines of the aforesaid general class with novel and advantageous mechanism wherein folding devices in (zo-operation with the aforesaid work-engaging parts will produce folds in the work to be stapled, and wherein staples will be driventh-rough the folds thus produced and set in the work to hold the folds in place.

The invention resides in the elements and the combinations of them inthe improved machine as will be hereinafter Adescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention,

Figure l is a side view of a stapling machine showing one form; of embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the forward end of the machine., showing the folding devices carried thereby and the stop for positioning the work.

Figure '3 is a vertical section of the forward end of the frame, the forward end of the movable member, and the parts carried by the frame and the member.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a front view of parts of the machine,

showing the folding devices in one position thereof during the folding of the work.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5, showing the folding `devices in the final position thereof and the work completely folded.

5G Figure 7 is a front View of a piece of work having a series of successive folds produced therein and stapled by the machine.

Figure 8 is asectional detail -of the folded and stapled Work, on line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

t5 The particular type .of sta-pling machine which is illustrated herein as forming a part of the present improvements is shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,919,944, dated July 25, 1933, to which reference may be had.

Referring to the aforesaid drawings, 2 desig- 5 nates the upper portion of the frame of lthe machine which in its complete state may be like the frame illustrated in the said Letters Patent.

The frame 2 is provided with a forwardly extending arm `5 adapted to receive and support the 10 work to be stapled.

The frame arm 5 is provided with a staple magazine 6 having a staple guiding bar 9 for receiving and guiding the staples I into a vertically extending channel or guide II which is formed be- 15 tween two plates I2 and I4 which are secured to the forward end of the :arm 5 and form, in effect,

.a par-t of the arm.

The row of staples l is fed forwardly toward and against the rearward surface of the plate I2 20- wardly through the guide II it drives the fore- 30- most staple I upwardly through the guide, and each time the driver 34 is moved downwardly to the position shown in the drawings, after a staple driving operation, the row of staples is fed forwardly and the foremost staple enters the 35 guide II.

The frame 2 is provided with an upwardly extending lug 35 having a member 36 pivoted thereto, at 31. This member 36 extends forwardly from its pivot and over the frame arm 5 and has 40 a downwardly-directed staple clinching anvil 64 secured to the forward end portion thereof.

'Ihe member 36 is movable on its pivot 31 to lower and raise the anvil 64 and when the member '36 is lowered the anvil 64 is brought into 45 proper operative relation to the staple guide II and staple driver 34.

The forward end of an arm 4I is pivoted, at 42, to the forward portion of the member 36, and the rearward end of the arm 4I embraces a lug 43, 60 rising from the rearward portion of the member 36, by a pin or bolt 44 carried by the arm 4I and extending through a slot 45 in the lug-43. A spring-pressed pin 4l urges the pin or bolt 44 toward the upper end of the slot 45 and serves as a 55 yieldable means for supporting the rearward end of the arm 4 I.

Pivoted, at 58, to the arm 4I is the upper end portion of an operating part 5I, the lower end of which is connected to a downwardly extending operation bar 53 forming a continuation of the part 5I.

The part 5I and bar 53, and therewith the arm 4I and member 36, are urged to and yieldably supported in the raised position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, by a suitable spring like the spring y illustrated and described in said Letters Patent.

The machine is operated by the lowering and raising of the bar 53 and part 5I, and for this purpose the bar 53 may be connected to a suitable pedal for the operation of the machine 'by foot power' or the b-ar 53 may be moved downwardly by any other suitable means.

The staple driver 34 is operated by a lever 5B fulcrumed in the frame arm 5 and resting normally in the position shown in Fig. 1 by the weigh-t of the forward portion thereof. The forward end of the lever 58 is provided with a pin 69 which extends through a hole in the staple driver 34. I'he rearward end portion of the lever 58 is located between a lug 6I on the part 5I and a screw 62 screwed into and through a lug 63 pro# jecting from the part 5| When the bar 53 vand part 5I are moved downwardly to operate the machine, the part 5I first operates the arm 4I to lower the staple clinching anvil 64, and, thereafter the screw 62 engages the lever 58 and moves the rearward end thereof downwardly, and thereby moves the forward end of the lever and therewith the staple driver 34 upwardly to drive and set `a staple in the work.

Excepting some modification of Vthe staple clinching anvil and the manner of securing it to the member 36, the construction and operation of the parts of the machine thus far described are the same as illustrated and described in the aforesaid Letters Patent.

The staple clinching anvil 64 is secured within a groove in block 65 having a stem 66 which is set in an opening in the member 36 and secured thereto by a transverse pin 61 which extends through the stem and member. The anvil 64 has a groove therein suitably formed to receive the staple legs and direct them toward each other during the staple driving and clinching operation.

The block 65 forms, in effect, apart of the member 36, and the bottom wall 68 of the block constitutes a work-engaging part above a workengaging part 69 formed by the top wall of the arm 5 of the machine frame, the top walls of the frame plates I2 and I4 and the top wall of a bracket 18 secured to the frame plate I2 and extending forwardly therefrom.

The work-engaging parts 69 and 10 of the member 36 and the machine frame, respectively, are constructed to receive the work to be stapled between them.' Such parts are constructed and relatedto work folding ydevices to co-operate therewith to effect the folding of the work during the operation of the machine; and we shall now describe the said work folding devices.

The frame plate I2 is provided with lugs 1I, 'I'I which extend outwardly from the respective sides thereof. These lugs 1I, 1I support two oppositely disposed levers 12, 12 which embrace the lugs 1I', 1I and which arev fulcrumed thereon at 13, 13. These levers 12, 12 have upper arms 14, 14 whichextend inwardly and upwardly from the lever fulcrums 13, 13; and they have lower arms 15, 15 which extend downwardly from the lever `shown in the drawings.

normal position after being `depressed and released.

kEachv lever 12, 12 is formed sheet metal and comprises similarly shaped front and back plates which are connected by a web 18, 18 as clearly The upper lever arms 14, 14 are constructed and arranged to operate between the work-engaging parts 68 and 69 of .the member 36 and frame arm 5, and the arms 14, 1.4 :are bifurcated to embrace the staple guide II and lthe path of thev staple when the latter is driven `upwardly and the arms 14, 14 are depressed from the position sho'wn in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 6, during the operation of the machine, as presently described.

f Arranged to operate between the work-engag ing parts 68 andl 69 of the member 36 and frame arm 5,*.and between the upper lever arms 14, 14 is a centrally disposed folding plate or blade 19 carried by the lower end of a stem 80 which rises therefrom. The stem 88 is slidable within and guided by-a cylinder or tube 8I whose lower end is secured upon -a plate or bracket 82 which extends forwardly from the forward end of the member 36,the plate 82 being secured to the member 36 between the same and the anvil block 65.

The stem 88 has a reduced upper portion 83 which is' threaded for the reception of a nut 84 which rests `upon the -top of the tube 8I and has a collar 85 which is formed thereon and which extends down into the tube. A spring 86 encircles the upper end portion 83 of the stern and acts between the top of the lower portion of the stem 80 and an inwardly extending flange 81 on the upper end of the tube 8I and urges the stem 88 and folding blade 19 downwardly. By turning the nut 84, the stem 80 and therewith the folding blade 19 may be raised or lowered with respect to the member 36. A lock nut 88 is screwed on to the upper end of .the reduced portion 83 of the stem 80 to engage the nut 84 and lock it in different positions of adjustment.

The folding blade 19 extends forwardly from the stem 80 andis provided with an upwardly projecting pin 89 fitted to slide within a hole in the plate 82 and prevent the stem and blade from turning on the axis of the stem; and the block 65 hasa slot 98 formed therein for the reception of the rearward end portion of the folding blade 19 when the member 36 is moved downwardly with respect to the blade, during the operation of the folding devices hereinafter described.

A stop plate v9I is provided rearwardly of the folding Idevices to be engaged by the work -to be folded to position the same with respect to the folding devices. This plate 9| is carried by a bracketv 92 which is slidable on the frame arm 5 and constructed to be held in different positions of adjustment by a set screw 93 screwed into one side of the bracket and engaging the frame arm 5.

The work to be folded and stapled is indicated at 94 in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6.4 This work may be any suitable foldable material, such, for example, as leather and fabric; and the work may be folded and-stapled for any desired purpose, such, for

example, as pleatng or ruilling of an edge portion of the fabric or material used in forming the body portions of hand bags.

The work 94 to be folded and stapled is placed upon the lever arms 14, 14 beneath the folding blade 19 and between the work-engaging parts `68 and 69, of the member 36 and frame arm 5, respectively, with the rearward edge of the work resting in close proximity -to or in contact with the stop plate 9i. The operating part 5I is then moved downwardly by foot, hand or other power. During the initial downward movement of the operating part 5|, it moves the anvil carrying member 36 and arm 4| downwardly as a unit and causes the vdownwardly extending rearward end portion of the folding blade 19 to press the Work 94 beneath it downwardly between the inner ends of the lever arms 14, 14 and press the work into V-form until the bottom 68 of the work-engaging part or block 65 of the member 36 engages thework 94 and forces it downwardly upon the free ends of the lever arms 14, 14 and begins to force said arms downwardly and the lever arms 15, 15 outwardly against the action of the spring 16, as shown in Fig. 5. As the continued downward movement of part 5l continues the downward movement of the 'member 36, the lever arms 14, 14 continue to move inwardly and the downward movement of the blade 19 is stopped by the work 94 beneath it engaging the work-engaging part 69 of the frame arm 5. After the downward movement of the block 19 is thus stopped, the member 36 continues to move downwardly to move the parts operated thereby to the position shown in Fig. 6, during which the sides of the V-formation of the work, shown iny Fig. 5, are forced inwardly by the free ends of the lever arms 14, 14, and such sides are buckled outwardly into the pleat formation of the work, shown in Fig. 6, while the member 36 moves the blade 19 and the lever arms 14, 14 to the position shown in Fig. 6. When the parts reach this position, the folded work 94 with the free end portions of the lever arms 14, 14 embraced by folds of the work, are pressed downwardly upon the workengaging part 69 of the frame arm 5 Iby the workengaging part 68 of the member 36, thereby stopping the further downward movement of theV member. When the parts reach the position Vshown in Fig. 6, the rearward end of the folding blade 19 is forwardly of but in close proximity to the staple guiding channel Il, and the bifurcated free ends of the lever arms 14, 14 embrace the sides of the staple guiding channel Il, and the staple clinching anvil is directly over the staple guiding channel. Now, the continued downward movement of the operating part 5| moves the arm 4|' downwardly against the yielding spring-pressed pin 41 and causes the screw 62 carried by the part 5l to operate the lever 58 to move the staple driver 34. upwardly and thereby drive the foremost staple 1 of ythe row thereof upwardly through the staple guiding channel Il and through the folds of the work and into the clinching groove of the anvil 64 which clinches the staple legs upon the work and completes the setting of the staple in the folded work as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. This done, the operating part 5I is raised to raise lthe member 36 and parts carried thereby, and to permit the spring 16 to return the levers 1'2, 12 to the normal position, shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, for a succeeding work folding and stapling operation.

When it is desired to produce a series of successive folds or pleats in the work, as shown in Figs. land 8, the operative moves the work laterally over `the lever arms 14, 14 the proper distance for the desired spacing of the pleats or folds after each folding and stapling operation.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a stapling machine, the combination of a frame having staple guiding means and a workengaging part, a member movably mounted on the frame and having a staple-clinching anvil and a Work-engaging part above the work-engaging part of the frame, said work-engaging parts being adapted to receive the work to be stapled between them, folding devices located between and associated with said work-engaging parts and col-operating therewith to produce folds in the work to be stapled when the work-engaging part of the member is lowered toward the work-engaging part of the frame, a staple driver, and means operable to lower said member and its work-engaging part toward the work-engaging part of the frame and thereafter operable to actuate said driver to drive a Astaple through said guiding means and through the folds of the work and clinch it against said anvil.

2. In a stapling machine, the combination of a frame having staple guiding means and a work-engaging part, a member movably mounted on the frame and having a staple-clinching anvil and a work-engaging part above the work-engaging part of the frame, said work engaging parts being adapted to receive the work to be stapled between them, two laterally spaced, downwardly and inwardly movable work-folding arms yieldably mounted on the frame and operating between said work-engaging parts, a centrally disposed folding .blade yieldably carried by said member and positioned to enter and leave the space between said arms whenA said member is lowered and raised, whereby said arms and said blade in (zo-operation with said work-engaging parts will produce folds in the work to be stapled when said member is lowered, a staple driver, and means operable to lower said member and its work-engaging part toward the work-engaging part of the frame and thereafter operable to actuate said driver to drive a staple through said guiding means and through the folds of the work and clinch it against said anvil.

3. In a stapling machine, the combination of a frame having staple guiding means and a work-engaging part, a member movably mounted on the frame and having a staple-clinching anvil and a work-engaging part above the work-engaging part of the frame, said work-engaging parts being adapted to receive the work to be stapled between them, two laterally spaced levers fulcrumed on the frame and having downwardly and inwardly movable, work-folding upper arms operating between said work-engaging parts, said levers having lower arms extending downwardly from the fulcrums thereof, a spring connecting said lower arms and yieldably urging said upper` arms to a. raised position, a centrally disposed folding blade yieldingly carried by said member and positioned to enter and leave the space betw-een said upper arms when saidmember is lowered and raised, whereby said upper arms and said blade in co-operation with said workengaging parts will produce folds in the work to be stapled when said member is lowered, a. staple driver, and means operable to lower said member and its work-engaging part toward the workengaglng part of the frame and thereafter operable to actuate said driver to drive a staple through said guiding means and through the folds of the work and clinch it against said anvil.

4. In a stapling machine, the combination of a frame having staple guiding means and a workengaging part, a member movably mounted on the frame and having a staple-clinching anvil and a work-engaging part above the work-engaging part of the frame, said work-engaging parts being adapted to receive the work to be stapled between them, two laterally spaced,l downwardly and inwardly movable work-folding arms yieldably mounted on the frame and operating between said work-engaging parts, a centrally disposed folding blade carried .by a stem rising therefrom and slidable in a part carried by said member, permitting the blade `to be raised and lowered with respect to the member, a spring yieldably urging said blade to a lowered position with respect to the member, said blade being positioned to enter and leave the space between said arms when said member is lowered and raised, whereby said arms and said blade in cooperation with said work-engaging parts will produce folds in the work to be stapled when said member is lowered, a staple driver, and means operable to lower said member and its workengaging part toward the work-engaging-part of the frame and thereafter operable to actuate said driver to drive a staple through said guiding means and through the folds of the work and clinch it against Isaid anvil.

5. In a stapling machine, the combination of a frame having staple guiding means and a workengaging part, a member movably mounted on the frame and having a staple-clinching anvil and a work-engaging part above the work-engaging part of the frame, said work-engaging parts being adapted to receive the work to be stapled between them, two laterally spaced levers fulcrumed on the frame and having downwardly and inwardly movable, work-folding upper arms operating between said work-engaging parts, said levers having lower arms extending downwardly from the fulcrums thereof, a spring connecting said lower arms and yieldably urging said upper arms to a raised position, a centrally disposed folding blade carried by a stem rising therefrom and slidable in a part carried by said member, permitting the blade to be raised and lowered with respect to the member, a spring y'leldably urging said blade to a lowered position with respect to the member, said blade being positioned to enter and leave the space between said arms when said member is lowered and raised, whereby said arms and said blade in co-operatlon with said work-engaging parts will produce folds in the work to be stapled when said member is lowered, a staple driver, and means operable to lower said member and its work-engaging'part toward the work-engaging part of the frame and thereafter operable to actuate said driver to drive a staple through said guiding means and through the' folds of the work and clinch it against said anvil.

6. In a stapling machine, the combination of a frame having staple guiding means and a workengaging part, a member movably mounted on the frame and having a staple-clinching anvil and ,a work-engaging part above the work-engaging part of the frame, said work-engaging parts being adapted to receive the Work to be stapled between them, two laterally spaced, downwardly and inwardly movable work-folding arms yieldably mounted on the frame and operatingy between said work-engaging parts, a centrally disposed folding blade yieldably carried by said member and positioned to enter and leave the space between said arms when said member is lowered and raised, whereby said arms and said blade in co-operation with said work-engaging parts will produce folds in the work to be stapled when-said member is lowered, a staple driver, and means operable to lower said member and its work-engaging part toward the work-engaging part of the frame and thereafter operable to actuate said driver to drive a staple through said guiding means and through the folds of the work and' clinch it against said anvil, said arms being bifurcated `to'embrace the path of the staple driven by said driver.

7. In a stapling machine, the combination of a frame having staple guiding means and a workengaging part, a member movably mounted on the frame and having a staple-clinching anvil and a work-engaging part above the work-engaging part of the frame, said work-engaging parts being adapted to receive the work to be stapled between them, two laterally spaced levers fulcrumed on the frame and having downwardly and inwardly movable, work-folding upper arms operating `between said work-engaging parts, said levers having lower arms extending downwardly from the fulcrums thereof, a spring connecting said lower arms and yieldably urging said upper arms Ato a raised position, a centrally disposed folding blade yieldingly carried by said member and positioned to enter and leave the space between said upper arms when said member is lowered and raised, whereby said upper arms and said blade in co-operation with said work-engaging parts will produce folds in the work to be stapled when said member is lowered,

t a staple driver, and means operable to lower said member and its work-engaging part toward the Work-engaging part of the frame and thereafter operable to actuate said driver to drive a staple through said guiding means and through the folds of the work and clinch it against said anvil, said upper arms being bifurcated to ernbrace the path of the staple driven b-y said driver.

' LYMAN B. COOK.

HENRY J. GERKE, JR. 

